In industrial processes, automatic paint spraying techniques are often employed, particularly in the automotive and appliance industries. Automatic paint spraying is generally carried out in spray booths, spray stands or against walls. The paint overspray is removed from the air by washing out with water. When airborne paint particles are captured by a water curtain, the particles, or their components, form a scum on the surface of the water reservoir or sink and accumulate an stick to the bottom of the reservoir. In either case, the paint is difficult to handle because it is tacky and, to the extent that waste can be separated, it contains a large percentage of water. The paint waste adheres to the sump and drain surfaces and must be periodically removed by a method such as shovelling to prevent clogging of the sump and drain surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,395 discloses a composition that is useful for detackifying paint overspray comprising hectorite clay, an antifoaming agent and optionally, an aluminum oxide material and a montmorillonite clay.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,912 discloses a method for treating polar or aqueous fluid emulsions of an organic composition comprising contacting the emulsion with an organoclay to adsorb a major portion of the organic composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,572 discloses detackifying agents for clear oil-based coating compositions composed of (1) a water-dispersible polymeric condensation reaction product of a urea or an amino triazine and an aldehyde and (2) a water-swellable clay.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,723,148 discloses a process for deactivating paint overspray particles using an aqueous alkaline solution which contains a particular organic nitrogen compound. Preferably, the alkaline solution is an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide and/or sodium silicate, and the organic nitrogen compound is triethanolamine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,970 discloses a composition for trapping and removing paint from a spray booth comprising at least 4% by weight of a water softener, 4% to 25% by weight of a colloid material, 1% to 8% by weight of a surfactant and 5% to 50% by weight of an alkaline material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,574 discloses a method for clarifying paint waste water containing dispersed solids by flocculating the solids with a basic polyaluminum chloride having a defined structural formula. Optionally, a water soluble organic polyelectrolyte is added in conjunction with the polyaluminum compound. Such polyelectrolytes are either homopolymers or copolymers of acrylamide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,464 discloses paint detackifying compositions consisting of hectorite clay, thinning agents such as water soluble aliphatic and/or alicyclic amines, and water conditioning agents such as water soluble polyphosphates.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,491 discloses paint detackification compositions utilizing organoclays. The products disclosed to support the invention are organophilic clays made using more common ammonium salts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,158 discloses a thickener for aqueous suspensions, particularly latex paints and caulks that is prepared by reacting a smectite clay with an ethoxylated quaternary ammonium compound.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,517,094 and 4,549,966 describe large particle size organoclays that are purely hydrophobic in nature and are not water dispersible.
French Application No. 84401361.5 discloses modified organophilic clays prepared by combining a smectite, a quaternary ammonium salt with a long hydrocarbon chain, and a mono- or polyhydroxylated nitrogenous surfactant.
Most commercial detackification products currently employed in paint spray booths contain at least two components, generally a quaternary ammonium polymer and either a smectite clay or polyacrylamide. Each component must be introduced separately into the spray booth and in a closely monitored and controlled fashion to maintain the proper ratio of components. Detackification efficiency is adversely affected when the proper ratio is not maintained.